SparkPoints: (69,709)
Fitness Minutes: (43,274)
Posts: 5,827
7/1/11 2:26 P

I have never cooked with bulger before, but I bought some to try in a new chicken dish I found which I am going to try over the weekend. I am glad to know that it freezes well.

current weight: 168.6

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SparkPoints: (185,130)
Fitness Minutes: (175,698)
Posts: 9,633
6/29/11 9:57 P

i experiment with my slow cooker. i throw chicken and veggies in a crockpot. i use either canned tomatoes or chicken broth for a liquid. then i will put in barley or bulger as a whole grain. it freezes pretty well.

SparkPoints: (112,210)
Fitness Minutes: (110,706)
Posts: 10,816
6/29/11 7:45 A

Hi Debra and Welcome ! ! !
I just Love my FoodSaver. I use it for almost everything ! ! !

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Posts: 2,044
6/29/11 5:14 A

What breed(s) of turkeys are you raising?

SparkPoints: (21,425)
Fitness Minutes: (7,806)
Posts: 753
6/26/11 12:58 P

Welcome!

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Posts: 1,531
6/26/11 11:26 A

Hello everyone.
I am new to this team but not to freezing.
We invested in a big stand up freezer a couple of years ago. I'm sure that it has paid for itself. I save so much money freezing from my own garden, leftovers, clearance/marked down items and from buying in bulk.

I, too, make my own broth/stock that I freeze in several size containers.

We raise a few chickens for our own fresh eggs.
My DH hunts and we enjoy venison year round.
I use the vacum sealer to keep the meat from freezer burn.

The DH went fishing yesterday and brought home a tote full of fish.
They are on ice waiting for him to clean them. LOL

We are raising our own turkeys this year.
(Oh no, no, no! I do not butcher them myself. Ew!)

I am going to run out of freezer space this year. So, I need to learn to can.

I am thrilled I found this team with so many like minded people!

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Posts: 427
6/21/11 6:27 P

We have a few families that are struggling around here, unfortunately some are self-inflicted (drugs/alcohol), and they seem to be happy when our support worker shows up with food. I don't think the kids would take it themselves and with the staff member delivering it, I think it seems more private than us pulling kids aside and loading up their backpacks and saying you need this. She is very discrete about deliveries, only staff members and these families know they are getting the food. We bug her sometimes because she pulls her car up to the back door and loads up. But I told her I have nicknamed her act of kindness as "Deb's Big Heart Deliveries".

Most of the bananas I chuck into the freezer and make banana muffins, sometimes with added chocolate chips, and the kids go nuts when I serve those. I have even added banana and cinnamon to oatmeal for something different.

Posts: 1,812
6/20/11 8:22 P

My sister-in-law does the same with the bananas from school. She works in the caf and she was saying that if they even have a hint of brown on them they throw them out. She takes them home and freezes them.

Mary

Posts: 2,044
6/20/11 7:21 P

I think it's great that you're finding a way not to waste the food. Tomorrow is the last day for students and we are required to offer kids bag lunches, but almost no one takes them and there is no "tomorrow' to stick the food in the fridge and serve it later. The amount of milk and lunch meat we will throw into the trash is just criminal. Sometimes I take the leftover bananas when they're getting brown and bring back nut bread for my kids but I just can't keep up with the waste. It's terrible to throw away so much food in a world where so many are hungry.

Posts: 427
6/18/11 7:33 P

For my family I used 5x9 inch foil pans but at work I bought 4 1/2 by 5 inch containers for leftovers. Now you are probably wondering why I am talking about containers at work. I am a school cook and instead of throwing out leftovers from our lunch program I put them into containers and put them into the staff room frig/freezer for staff to take come or to be given to families that are struggling. All the staff found these prefect sized containers for the ones that are single. They are foil pans with lids. I do have to stack them cross-wise as the weight will collapse the lids into the food. But they are perfect for easy oven heat-and-eat meals. I toss my 5x9 pans into the oven at 400 F for 1 1/2 hours, yes a long time but it is easier than trying to cook a fresh meal after a full day of cooking. Most of my co-workers from what I heard pop them out and microwave their foods. I do toss them instead of washing them.

I get 50 pans and lids for about $28, where as the grocery store I was paying $6 for 5.

If you are worried about price I also freeze things in plastic containers and then transfer to freezer bags later so I can get my plastic containers back for other freezer meals, and when I want to take something I pop it back into a container and take with me.

Edited by: CRAZYNDNCOOK at: 6/18/2011 (19:37)

SparkPoints: (112,210)
Fitness Minutes: (110,706)
Posts: 10,816
6/15/11 8:30 A

I'm Definitely a Bulk Buyer. And I love using my FoodSaver...
I put meat, veggies, etc. in dinner size portions, seal and freeze...

Pounds lost: 23.2

0 12.75 25.5 38.25

51

SparkPoints: (21,425)
Fitness Minutes: (7,806)
Posts: 753
6/8/11 1:33 P

That's a great idea!

current weight: 152.5

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SparkPoints: (72,518)
Fitness Minutes: (67,620)
Posts: 9,840
6/8/11 12:14 P

This is my preferred way. I put things in a silicon muffin tin and freeze. The plugs just pop out and store them in a freezer bag and they are the perfect size.

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Posts: 2,044
12/24/10 10:25 A

When I started doing this, we bought a package of 150 takeout containers from a restaurant supply store for about $75 bucks - WAY cheaper than Tupperware and seals well, unlike the Gladware kinds of things you can get cheap at the grocery store. The single biggest help to my batch cooking.

Posts: 4,663
10/1/09 8:50 A

Good idea, especially for the egg drop soup!

Lisa

SparkPoints: (35,406)
Fitness Minutes: (17,241)
Posts: 10,321
10/1/09 8:40 A

If you have read my Sparkpage, you will know that I had bariatric surgery. One of the most important things that I started doing was making Chicken broth from scratch and freezing it in various sized containers. There is nothing more satisfying than going to the freezer for a quick pick-me-up. I love the small 1/2 - 1 cup glad containers. If I am buy myself, I heat just the size I want. And, because the broth is tailored to my own tastes, I like just as it is, or I will "doctor" it up by adding veggies, or miso & nori, or drizzling som egg white into it to make an egg drop soup. YUMMMMMMM

The broth travels well, frozen, and will help keep the other food in the lunch box cool, and all you have to do is pop it in the microwave at lunchtime.

Edited by: PORGY_58 at: 10/1/2009 (08:41)

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Posts: 1,812
9/30/09 11:32 A

We freeze leftovers for hubby's lunches. He pulls one out in the morning, puts it in his lunch bag and off he goes. Works great for the budget.

Mary

Posts: 12,098
9/30/09 8:49 A

I freeze many individual meals

current weight: 186.0

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SparkPoints: (29,081)
Fitness Minutes: (25,563)
Posts: 3,542
9/30/09 8:36 A

There is a fair amount of information on freezer cooking on the web. Here are 2 links

organizedhome.com/freezer-cooking-guide

www.30daygourmet.com/

I own the 30 Day Gourmet book, and while I don't do those marathon cooking sessions they talk about, they do have good information about how to freeze meals ahead. It's great to have meals in the freezer for busy (or lazy) days.

Pounds lost: 4.0

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SparkPoints: (21,425)
Fitness Minutes: (7,806)
Posts: 753
9/30/09 8:09 A

Oooh Yeah. Food Saver, that's my next purchase.

current weight: 152.5

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Posts: 760
9/30/09 7:44 A

We are empty nesters and I have discovered the delights of freezing food using a Food Saver. This allows us to buy less expensive family sized meats and put it up in servings for 2. Also works for leftovers.

Posts: 4,663
9/30/09 6:25 A

With a family of 5, we normally don't have any leftovers. If we do, it's usually just soup. So I freeze that in Tupperware, Rock and serve, I believe that's what they're called containers.

Lisa

SparkPoints: (21,425)
Fitness Minutes: (7,806)
Posts: 753
9/30/09 6:04 A

When I was single, I used to make a dish (as if I were cooking for my family at home) and eat. Save the left overs in the fridge. If you don't mind eating the same thing for a couple of days (I don't, if I enjoy it) I would take some to work for lunch, or have it again the next night. The first night, invite a friend (or date) over for dinner.

Now that I'm married, and I have a nice size freezer, I will freeze somethings in freezer bags or containers depending on what it is.

I am now starting to get leery of freezing plastics, so I save glass jars (just don't fill them up to high).

current weight: 152.5

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Posts: 18
9/30/09 5:37 A

Hello all! I am new to the board and Sparkpeople. I am trying to eat better. This means I need to cook. I would like to cook everything for the week and freeze it. I would like to have a variety of things to choose from.Does anyone have any suggestions? Do I just put it in tupperware and place it in the freezer? I'm talking things like chicken and fish and veggies and fruits. Or even whole meals all arranged and ready to go. Please help. OH and by the way, I'm single so I am only cooking for one.

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